By Lamarana S. Jallow
With the cessation of the National Development Plan (NDP) (2017-2021/22), the Government of The Gambia has identified various consultants in the process of developing a new NDP to guide the development of the country for the next five years (2023-2027).
The preparations of such require adequate consultations with citizens of the country to identify key challenges and possible solutions. Governors and their staff, municipal authorities, community development officers, line ministry staff at decentralised levels, representatives of various stakeholders, private sector, men, women and youth groups, the differently abled persons, children, and community leaders, are all being engaged and they have been freely giving their views and opinions about the current situation and way forward in the new NDP.
Consultations with various sectors in Government has been successfully concluded with all sectors providing a clear diagnosis, highlighting the key achievements under the last NDP, challenges, current strategies and the emerging issues.
The lead consultant for Youth, Gender and Development related issues, Mrs. Emily Sarr, said they are on a second stage on the consultation in which sectors identified five key priorities of the new NDP with strategies and interventions for each priority area.
She noted that sectors made suggestions about the enabling environment, institutional arrangement and policy reforms that are expected to be in place for a successful implementation of the NDP. In addition, the guide for SWG provided space for suggestions for innovative implementation modalities and “thinking out of the box” methods and practices that resonate with and respond to current challenges. This, she said, has helped to sharpen the focus and vision of the sector.
She explain that there have been further validation meetings with the sectors to ascertain gaps in formation and to further strengthen government ownership of the document.
On how the new NDP impacts policy and the lives of Youth, Mrs. Sarr said the greatest resource they have as a country is in the manpower potential.
She adduced that the need to empower young people via the right political and socio-economic environment cannot be over-emphasised and in the new plan, the youth sector reveals its vision and mission for the next five years.
The new NDP intends to curb migration through formidable and practical alternatives. The Gambia is reported to have an irregular emigration rate of 2% making it the African country that has the highest incidence of irregular migration relative to its total population.
The NDP will also promote and develop sports to improve competences for effective participation in national and international competitions,enhance and advance youth employment in the productive sectors such as agriculture; fisheries, technology, climate change and related services.
